Understanding Circumpolar Ecosystems in a Changing World: Outcomes of the
International Polar Year

Northern ecosystems are increasingly becoming a
high-profile topic on the political agenda. Most of the circumpolar regions are
seen as pristine landscapes, which have experienced radical changes in climate,
vegetation, and animals. Warming during the last 30 years has been associated
with warming and disappearing permafrost, changes in growth rates of dominant
trees, natural and anthropogenic disturbances, and changes in vertebrate
populations. The causal links among these changes and their implications for the
functioning of the circumpolar region and the people who live there are not
completely understood. To understand the current and future structure,
diversity, and functioning of the circumpolar region, it is important to
understand how climate and disturbance interact and the implications of these
interactions for ecological, economic, and cultural sustainability of the
circumpolar region. The conference will address these topics.